Highway marker



March 16, 1937. c. c. KREBS HIGHWAY MARKER Filed March 9. 1936 I CarlClrca v Patented Mar. 16, 1937 ITED srrss ATE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to traffic indicators and more particularly tothat type of indicator adapted to be embedded in the surface of ahighway to serve as a marker and divide said highway into differenttraffic lanes.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of anindicator of the type mentioned above which will be depressed whendriven over by a vehicle.

10, Another object is the provision of a device of this character intowhich water cannot enter and one that will be unaffected by theelements.

A still further object resides in providing a trafi'ic marker which willnot injure the rubber tires of a vehicle driven thereover.

I It is also an object of the present invention to form a marker of thetype specified which will give long service without requiring any undueattention.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds,the invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction, combination of elements and arrangement of partshereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the markercomprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the indicating mechanism in a depressedposition;

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale of a flexiblediaphragm used in the marker. Referring more particularly to thedrawing, the numeral l designates the marker in its entirety. The markercomprises a base 2 which may be constructed of a metallic casting andincludes, in the particular marker illustrated, a circular cup-shapedbody having a central bore 3, relatively heavy side walls 4 and a bottomwall 5. 4:5 The base 2 is adapted to be set into the paving of theroadway and to prevent it from working out or otherwise being removed,an annular flange 6 is formedat the lower end which will be over-hung bythe concrete or other material 50 forming the road surface. Verticalreenforcing ribs are connected to the walls 4 and the flange 6 toprovide strength.

Arranged to cover the open upper end of the base is a circular rubberdiaphragm l conforming 55 in size to the base 2. A metallic ring 8 isprovided above the diaphragm and threaded fastening elements 9 passthrough aligned openings in the ring and diaphragm and are received incorrespondingly threaded openings in the upper edge of the side walls 4of the base. When the screws 5 9 are tightened, they cause the ring 8 tofirmly clamp the diaphragm in place over the open upper end of the base.

The center of the diaphragm is also provided with an opening throughwhich a threaded stud 10 it), formed in connection with a semisphericalbutton ll, passes. A circular plate l2 slightly smaller in diameter thanthe bore 3 is threaded on the stud l0 and secures the button I I inplace on the diaphragm. A look nut i3 is employed to 5 precludeloosening of this plate on the stud.

At the center of the plate l2 on its under surface, a boss M is formed.This boss is received within a coil formed at the upper end of a conicalcoil spring is and serves to correctly position the 20 upper end of thespring. The lower end of the spring 55 rests against the bottom wall 5of the base. The spring acts to force the diaphragm and button llupward. To limit movement in this direction, the internal diameter ofthe clamp 25 ring 8 is made a little smaller than the outside diameterof the plate l2. When the spring moves the plate upward to the positionshown in Fig.

2, the edge of the plate will engage that portion of the diaphragm underthe overhanging edge 0 of the ring and upward movement of the parts willbe stopped. Dueto the fact that rubber is positioned between themetallic plate and ring, no objectionable sound will be heard when thisoccurs. 35

The button I l is provided on a pair of opposed sides with shallow holesIt in which are positioned magnifying lenses Ill. These lenses aresecured in place by the edge of the hole being pressed inward to engagethe outer surfaces thereof. The bottom of the hole i6 is formed angularand polished or coated to produce a re flecting surface Ilia. When lightrays from the head lights of a vehicle pass through one of the lenses H,a portion of the rays will be reflected by the surface Illa, to indicatethepresence of a marker,

When the wheel of a vehicle is driven over the marker, the button M willbe engaged by the tire and pressed down to the position shown in Fig. 3and as soon as the tire is removed, the spring will force the movableparts upward to their normal position shown in Fig. 2. The button H isrounded on top and the outer upper edge of the ring 8 is bevelled toprevent the same from injuring the tires of vehicles driven over themarker.

Annular rings of fabric material l8 are incorporated in the rubberdiaphragm 'l to provide strength at the points where the perforationsare arranged. This reenforcement is omitted between the clamp ring andthe button I I to permit the diaphragm to stretch.

The upper edge of the side walls of the casing 2 may be annularlygrooved as at I9 to receive the rubber of the diaphragm and prevent theentrance of water which might freeze and injure the marker or preventmovement of its parts.

While there has been shown and described one particular embodiment ofthe present invention, numerous changes may be made in the mechanicalconstruction of the various parts thereof without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as set forth by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A depressible traific indicator comprising a cup-shaped casing openat its upper end, a flexible diaphragm positioned over the open upperend of said casing, a clamp ring for securing said diaphragm in place, asemispherical button secured to the upper surface of said diaphragm, andspring means positioned within said cup and yieldably holding saiddiaphragm in its uppermost position.

2. A depressible traific indicator comprising an open topped cup-shapedcasing, a flexible diaphragm positioned over the open upper end of saidcasing, a clamp ring for securing said diaphragm in place, asemispherical button secured to the upper surface of said diaphragm, anda conical coil spring positioned within said casing to resist downwardmovement of said diaphragm and button.

3. A depressible traffic indicator comprising a base formed with acentral bore open at its upper end, a flexible diaphragm positioned overthe open upper end of said base, a ring clamping said diaphragm in placeon said base, the inside diameter of said ring being slightly smallerthan the diameter of the bore in said base, an indicator buttonpositioned on the upper side of said diaphragm, a plate secured to theunder side of said diaphragm, the outside diameter of said plate beinggreater than the inside diameter of said ring and a conical coil springyieldably holding said plate in its uppermost position.

4. An indicator of the character described comprising a base formed witha central bore open at one end, a flexible diaphragm clamped over theopen end of said base, a signal member secured to said diaphragm andspring means positioned in said base between said diaphragm and thebottom of said bore and holding said signal member and diaphragm intheir normal position.

5. An indicator of the character described comprising a cup-shaped basemember open at one end, a flexible diaphragm closing the open end ofsaid base member, a signal member carried by said diaphragm, springmeans tending to force said diaphragm outward away from said casing, andmeans provided in connection with said indicater for limiting theoutward movement of said diaphragm.

6. A traflic indicator comprising a hollow base member open at its upperend, a flexible diaphragm secured to the upper end of said base memberin fluid-tight relationship, and a signal member secured to the uppersurface of said diaphragm.

'7. A trafiic indicator comprising a cylindrical base member closed atone end and open at the other, a diaphragm clamped in fluid-tightrelationship over the open end of said base, a spring positioned betweenthe diaphragm and the closed end of said base, and a signal carried bysaid diaphragm exteriorly of said base.

8. A traffic indicator comprising a base member provided with anupstanding annular side wall, said wall being provided with an annulargroove in its upper edge, a circular rubber diaphragm positioned uponthe upper edge of said side wall, a clamp ring securing said diaphragmin place on said side wall with a portion positioned in said groove, asignal button provided with a threaded stud positioned upon the uppersurface of said diaphragm, said stud projecting through said diaphragm,a plate positioned upon said stud and clamping said diaphragm againstsaid signal button, and a spring positioned between said plate and baseand yieldably holding the former against downward movement.

CARL C. KREBS.

